EN
The study assessed the influence of sugar concentration (10, 20, 30, 50, 70, 100, 120 g l⁻¹) on growth and ginsenoside biosynthesis in Panax quinquefolium hairy roots cultivated in shake flasks and a nutrient sprinkle bioreactor. The highest growth rate was achieved in medium containing 3–5 % sucrose. More than 70 g l⁻¹ or less than 20 g l⁻¹ sugar content in the medium induces significant inhibition of root growth when cultivated in shake flasks. The saponin content was determined using HPLC. The maximum yield (above 9 mg g⁻¹ d.w.) of the sum of six examined ginsenosides (Rb₁, Rb₂, Rc, Rd, Re and Rg₁) in hairy roots cultivated in shake flasks was obtained with 30 g l⁻¹ sucrose in the medium. The sucrose concentration in the medium was found to correlate with saponin content in bioreactor-cultured specimens. A higher level of protopanaxadiol derivatives was found for lower (20 and 30 g l⁻¹) sucrose concentrations; higher sucrose concentrations (50 and 70 g l⁻¹) in the medium stimulated a higher level of Rg group saponins.